Real Valladolid – Real Madrid

Real Madrid should prepare for a tough game with Valladolid

Real Madrid will play away against Valladolid on Friday, 30 December. The club from Madrid will play their first official match in a month and a half. Real Madrid have had significant problems in recent meetings before the break. Carlo Ancelotti's side said goodbye to the lead after two setbacks. First, the club failed to beat Girona at home, then sensationally lost to Rayo Vallecano on the road. Now the gap to Barcelona is two points. The rest should have benefited the team, given that not all the players were seriously involved in the World Cup performances. Luka Modric will be under the most severe strain. It is possible that he will be given extra rest. Benzema's injury, on the other hand, was a bonus for Real. The footballer did not play for the national team and was able to regain his form. If the Spanish press is to be believed, Benzema is very seriously motivated to answer the critics with goals. Karim will undoubtedly be in the starting line-up. There are no global health problems among the players of Real Madrid. Almost all leaders are ready to play. The squad is projected to be optimal, but a few players may be used within 50-60 minutes. This season, Real Madrid CF has not featured brilliantly in the league. It's hard to expect a perfect performance in the first game after a long break. If we take advanced statistics, the main area of concern is defence. Real Madrid are only fifth in terms of danger at their own goal. Valladolid have a decent hold on La Liga in their first season. The club was predicted to struggle for survival, but so far the results have been impressive. The team under Juan Martín is in twelfth place, with five wins in fourteen meetings. Valladolid are most dangerous at home. The away side have only picked up four points. At home, on the other hand, the league newcomer has become a problem for tough opponents: they did not lose to Betis, defeated Real Sociedad and Celta. An unexpected trump card came from 33-year-old forward Sergio Leon. The footballer scored five goals. Aside from him, no-one else scored more than twice. Attack is not Valladolid's strong point. The club prefers to play dry games with minimal advantage. The only exception was the encounter in the King's Cup with an opponent from the lower division. Valladolid thrashed Arenas Guecho, employing their key players. The result was a 5-1 defeat. Of course, against Real, a modest club would not be so bold. The state of Real after the big break is a mystery. Prior to that, there were big problems with goals. A tough match-up for the favourites, where even a single goal could be decisive, is on the horizon.